CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY
"SAFETY OF YOUR CHILDREN IS IN YOUR HANDS, DON'T LET THEM DOWN AS A PARENT"
- Adrian Mishtal
This page is courtesy of Stephanie M. Tombrello, L.C.S.W.,CPSTI, Executive Director of SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
www.carseat.org
www.carseat.org
About
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is the national, non-profit organization dedicated to child passenger safety. Their mission is to help reduce the number of serious and fatal traffic injuries suffered by children by promoting the correct, consistent use of safety seats and safety belts.
Founded in 1980, SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is nationally recognized for program excellence, training, and up-to-date technical materials. They provide consultation to advocates, parents, business leaders, the media, and professionals working in the fields of health care, traffic safety, and education.
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. invites you to subscribe to their Automatic Update Service when joining their organization as an individual or group member. All subscribers receive the bi-monthly SafetyBeltSafe News. Automatic Update mailings are triggered by the announcement of a new recall and include the current recall list plus other new materials developed by SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
Founded in 1980, SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is nationally recognized for program excellence, training, and up-to-date technical materials. They provide consultation to advocates, parents, business leaders, the media, and professionals working in the fields of health care, traffic safety, and education.
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. invites you to subscribe to their Automatic Update Service when joining their organization as an individual or group member. All subscribers receive the bi-monthly SafetyBeltSafe News. Automatic Update mailings are triggered by the announcement of a new recall and include the current recall list plus other new materials developed by SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
Stephanie M. Tombrello, L.C.S.W.,CPSTI, Executive Director of SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. has been involved in child passenger safety since 1970. While shopping for a car seat for her infant daughter, she was shocked to learn that most of the models available in stores were unsafe. Stephanie and several other early pioneers in the field successfully petitioned the federal government to require crash testing for child restraints. She also wrote the petition which resulted in the federal requirement for manufacturers to provide shoulder belts in the rear seats of all post-1989 passenger vehicles.
In 1980, Stephanie founded a grassroots organization in the Los Angeles area which evolved to become SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. Under her leadership, the organization has become the premier resource for child passenger safety in the nation. Stephanie is a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician-Instructor and was appointed in 1995 to the National Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Restraint & Vehicle Compatibility.
In 1980, Stephanie founded a grassroots organization in the Los Angeles area which evolved to become SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. Under her leadership, the organization has become the premier resource for child passenger safety in the nation. Stephanie is a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician-Instructor and was appointed in 1995 to the National Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Restraint & Vehicle Compatibility.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
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Get a Safety Check
Once your seat has been purchased and installed according to the manufacturer's user manual, visit either the SafeKids website or the SafeCar website to locate a certified child car seat technician/inspector. They can check your child's car seat installation and make sure that you know how to install and use it correctly. It’s estimated that 90% of car seats are installed or used incorrectly. Don’t let yours be one of them!
Selecting the Appropriate Safety Seat for Your Child
| Form 629 |
- Keep your baby facing the rear of the car until at least age two, longer if weight/height maximum allows.
- Keep your child in a seat with a harness as long as possible (3-4 years minimum; longer if weight/height maximum allows).
- Keep your older child in a booster seat until he or she fits properly in the lap and shoulder belts in the car. To find out if your child is ready to wear just a safety belt, try the 5-Step Test in the section below.
Boosters Are For Big Kids
| Form 630 |
Most kids need to ride in a booster seat from about age 4 until age 10-12. If your child isn’t using a booster, try the simple test below the next time you ride together in the car. You may find that your child is not yet ready to use a safety belt without a booster.
The 5-Step Test
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too! For best protection, all children should ride in the back seat until they are ready to drive. It's twice as safe as the front seat.
The 5-Step Test
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too! For best protection, all children should ride in the back seat until they are ready to drive. It's twice as safe as the front seat.
Quick Checklist for Safety Seat Misuse
| Form 75 |
Check for these common and dangerous mistakes:
Car seat problems:
Installation problems:
Important: This is a partial list designed to help parents, drivers, and law enforcement officers recognize obvious misuse. It is not to be used as the basis of a detailed inspection.
- Child not using the safety seat or sitting in the seat without using the harness.
- Baby facing the front of the car. Children should face the rear until at least age 2.
- Rear-facing child riding in front seat of car with passenger air bag. Air bags are fatal for infants!
- Toddler or older child riding in front. If car has passenger air bag and back seat is full, slide front seat back as far as possible, adjust shoulder straps snugly, make sure child does not lean forward.
- Too many people in the car. There must be one safety belt per person.
Car seat problems:
- Unsafe used seat (rusty, cracked, broken, bent, past expiration date, involved in crash or not known).
- Child too big for seat (weight above limit, strap slots below shoulders, or head not supported).
- Child too small or too young for seat (strap slots above shoulders; 2-year-old in booster).
- Harness straps threaded incorrectly (check instructions) or too loose (should not be able to pinch a fold in the strap between the thumb and finger).
- Harness straps on the arms or under the arms (straps must go over the shoulders).
- Harness not buckled securely. Listen for the "click."
Installation problems:
- Safety seat attached to car incorrectly. See label for correct location of belt or LATCH strap.
- Loose installation (should not move more than 1” when pushed toward front of car or sideways).
- Older child using safety belt incorrectly. Lap belt should touch thighs; upper belt on shoulder/chest.
- Booster used with only a lap belt (lap-shoulder belt must be used).
Important: This is a partial list designed to help parents, drivers, and law enforcement officers recognize obvious misuse. It is not to be used as the basis of a detailed inspection.
Informational Videos and Additional Resources
For More Information Visit
Contact Stephanie Tombrello |
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